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I hate getting up in the morning. I’m not a morning person, and never have been. When my morning alarm goes off, I wake up with a startle and then feel pissed off. Pissed off at what? Well, myself. I’ll be angry that I was too busy internet-ing and having fun watching re-runs of Scrubs that I neglected to give myself enough time for sleep. How much time should I be giving myself? Well I keep hearing the magic number 8 floating around on what’s ideal. Generally, I think I get about 6 or 6.5 hrs on a weeknight. If 8’s what I should be getting, it’s no wonder why I’m not happy when I wake up in the morning. So with a goal of 8 hours a night, and with a 6:30 wake-up time, that means I need to be asleep by 22:30 (badasses use military time, fyi). To be asleep by 22:30, I should probably be in bed to allow myself time to relax and get sleepy. So “bed-time” should be 22:00 at the latest, and I should stop using all electronics at 21:00/21:30. Yeah… that’s pretty early. And no, I’m not thrilled. Nights are my playtime, and my favorite toy happens to be my laptop. But life’s a lot more than playtime. I have to start thinking about the bigger picture, and what’s really best for myself and my health. And getting enough sleep (or not enough) affects pretty much your whole life. Not getting enough sleep is linked with weight-gain, anxiety, stress, fatigue and problems with focusing/paying attention. I don’t want to sabotage the good things I do for myself (like eating right or exercising) by choosing to ignore sleep requirements.

So my goal this week is simple: get at least 8 hours of sleep each night. I figure it’s best to start off with a goal that shouldn’t be painful to achieve…but will still make a big difference in the rest of my life. Here’s to getting enough zzz’s… and 21:30 bedtimes.

I’m 26 now. Which means, it’s time to get serious… just in time for the holidays too.

Since this blog began as a statement that I am attempting to fulfill a childhood dream of becoming a 26-year-old badass, I suppose I should first define what exactly a badass is. I’m finding this is actually kind of difficult…

When I was a kid, being a “badass” meant:

1. Being physically fit (toned/muscular)

2. Being fiercely attractive/ having nice hair

3. Having martial arts expertise

4. Having a healthy dose of toughness (read: bitchiness).

My ideas of bad-assery has evolved since I was an 8 year old, so I suppose it’s time to put some qualitifcations in place so that I have some clear goals to work towards this coming year.

Revised Bad-ass qualities:

1. Self-confidence:

Ability to stand up for oneself, go against the grain, ask for what one wants/needs, clear communication, okay with confrontation.

2. Physically fitness:

I’m not asking for the body of a super-model of waif-like actress. I just want to be considered healthy for once in my life. This means if I can get in a weight range that is considered “normal” for my height, then that’s success, and all I ask for in terms of weight numbers. I want to be able to run a mile without needing to walk/stop, and do a few pull-ups

3. Intelligence

A badass takes time to stay informed, and know what’s going on in the world around them. Also… it’d be pretty badass to have general working knowledge of physics, chemistry, and some sophisticated math. These skills come in handy at the most random times.

4. Survival Skills

A true badass would be able to survive if society collapsed tomorrow. I’m pretty sure I’d be a goner at this point. I want to learn how to make a fire, and get a ‘survival kit’ together… just in case. You never know when shit may hit the fan.. may as well give yourself/your family a chance by stocking up on a few things and having a plan.

5. Self-discipline/Self-control

A badass can control their cravings and urges, and won’t let it get the best of them. Also, a badass will maintain a fitness routine and do what needs to get done. And procrastination should not be a crippling issue for a badass.

6. Talent/Skills

A badass knows him/herself. Weaknesses and strengths should be discovered and dealt with/encouraged/improved. A badass makes time to hone their skills, work on their weaknesses, and pursue their interests/passions.

7. Direction

A badass knows what he/she wants, and goes after it. And if the badass doesn’t know yet, they’ll actively research/do things to try and find that out. Nothing gets done by waiting for direction to come… it takes action to find out what works and what doesn’t.

8. Bravery

A badass isn’t afraid t look people in the eye, or confront an asshole. Ever seen that show What Would You Do? A badass would do the right thing and put the asshole in line.

9. Morals

A badass knows what’s right and wrong, and will not turn a blind-eye to wrong-doing. Also see “Bravery” above. A badass does not lie, cheat, or steal or tolerate those who do (actually, I got that from my Alma Mater, so I guess Aggies are badasses too).

10. Independence

A badass can depend on him/herself to survive and generally get shit done. A badass doesn’t need a friend to come with them to a concert that they really want to see… a badass will do what they want and go where they want alone and not feel like a lonely loser.

OK. So that’s what I have for now. But really, I know my concepts of what makes a badass will continue to evolve…this was just an exercise in brainstorming the goals I want to accomplish, habits I want to make and break, etc.